Dyeing apparatus



Oct. l, 1929. c. K. DUNLAF DYEING APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1928 3mm@ wif/QW@ afm f alito@ mm1 Patented oa. 1,1929

UNITED STATES `lnrrlazlia'r OFFICE CHARLES K: DUNIAP, OE HARISYILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO SONOCO PRODUCTS COMPANY, lOI? HARTSYILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA Application led July 1,9,

YThis invention relates to'dyeing apparatus,

and lmore particularly to apparatus of this` character in which the thread to be dyed is and disposed in a tank in such a'manner that l dye liquor may be circulated under pressure through the pipe, core and package, either outwardly or inwardly with respect to theA pipe.

In apparatus of this character is 4important to prevent leakage around the ends of the threadcores, and for this reason. means have been provided to exert an axial pressure upon the ends thereof to effect the desired sealing. However,.the action of heat may cause variations in length ofthe column during the dyeing process, causing gaps to form between the cores through which dye liquor may escape rather than through the thread packages, etc., especially where 4paper tubes, or cores are utilized.l Furthermore,'while paper coresI of satisfactory type' are now available, these sometimes tend to soften under the action of hot dye liquor. This and other influences tend to cause change in axial dimension of the column, so as to dissipate the axial pressure originally imposed upon the cores and permit leakage which it has been the purpose to avoid, v

:It is therefore the object lof the present invention to provide a follow up ,device for automatically taking up decrease or dissipation of pressure exerted upon ans element mounted in a dyeing 'apparatus to prevent leakage around the end of the thread core.

Other ,objects and features of novelty will be apparent as the following description prof ceeds as taken in connection with the accompanyingfj drawing, in which:

The single ligure is a crossV section through a* dye liquor I mounted thereon according to the present 1nyention. A D

l Referring more particularly to the d rawing,` the dye liquor clrculation pipe is md5,-

cated generally at 10, and in theffprin shownV i is secured'as by threading 111:0 a dye liquor' pipe showinglfthe threadkfcoifes y '.bjYEING-y APPARATUS 1928. Serial No. 293,992.

circulation drum 12, the upper surface of which forms an abutment asat 13 to receive a spacer collar 14 which acts as a sealing element. Similar collars 15 and'16 serve to support perforated cylindrical thread cores 17 upon which have been wound thread packages` 18 in substantially coaxialv relationship with the dye liquor circulation pipe 10.

The cores may be each mounted on a separate dye liquor circulation pipe, but in the drawing they vare shown mounted in tandem on a common pipe. Within the purview of the invention, thecores may be of rigid material and thesealing element may be yieldable, or the cone may be yieldable and the sealing element rigid. Metallic cores have greater durability and can be used over many times, but they of course have greater weight. Paper cores havethe advantage of inexpensive manufacture, and may be 'economically discarded after one use. The present invention isv adapted for both ofthese expediente.

The outer end of the pipe is provided with a closure 20 which in the form shown comprises a plug threaded as at 21 into the outer end of the pipe. `The closure 2O is, provided With a central bore 22 Awhich slidably receives a plunger 23 extending inwardly intol the pipe. This plunger is provided withva head or abutment 24 and a helical compres sion spring 25 surrounds the plunger23 and bears at one end against the abutment 24 and at its other end against the inner side ofthe closure 20,

Y he outer end ofthe plun er 23 is threaded I as at 28,to receive a cap in icated generally at 29.I To prevent the plunger 23 from rotating with the cap 29 a slot 31 is cut part way through the closure 20, and a` pin 32 carried by the plunger 23 rides in the slot 31 so as 'to permit slidin movement of the plunger. This cap 29 .isprovided with-an annular abutment for' exerting axial pressure upon the column of lthread cores, which abut- 1 ment vin the present 'embodiment comprises anannular ange`30.'

.'In operation, the cap the threads 28 andbodily removed. The thread packages having. wound upon the perforated thread cores,'the' 29 is unscr'ewed from -r been previously l Spacer member 14 is placed over the pipe 10 `in Y position to bear against the abutment 13, and

then the'loWer thread core is placed over the pipe 10 so as to abut against the spacer 14.

5 Then the spacer 15 is applied and then' the upper core 17 with its thread package. Then the spacer 16 is applied and the cap 29 is threaded onto the threads 28, which will tend to draivthe plunger Q3 out of the pipe against the action of the spring 25 so that the force of the spring 25 will be transmitted by the plunger 310 to the .column of thread cores.

- With this arrangement the pressure existing between the core and the sealing element will normally prevent' leakage around the end of the core. But the sealmay fail, due to weakening of the yieldable core, or the yieldable sealing element, by softening under the high pressures or temperatures of the dyeing process, or takinga permanent set.

These conditions would Idissipate the pres'- sure upon the core and sealing element, in-

itially imposed by the sere7 threads. alone, 2 5 but the spring serves to automaticallypreserve the contact between the core and sealing 'element which would yotherwise be broken.

The breadth of the invention is not to be limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is commensurate with the scope of the appende'd claims, and While the invention is described in detail for adaptation to dyeing apparatus, it is of general application Where it is of advantage to provide resilient-pressure mounting for axially arranged elements.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Ina 'device of the class described, in combination, a member adapted to be rigidly secured to the free end of a perforated dye liquor circulation pipe, a second member having a portion encircling the pipe andadapt- 45 ed to exert pressure upon the end of a thread core also encircling the pipe, and v'means for constantly urging sai-d second member toward the thread core, said means comprising a plunger connected to saidsecond member and extending through anaperture in the first member, and av spring operatively engaging the first member andthe plunger.

. 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in -Which said first member is formed as a cylindrical plug having threaded engagement with the inner Wall of the dye pipe, and no portion of which projects beyond the outer wall of the pipe.

cured to the free end of a perforated dye liquor circulation pipe, a second ,member` having a portion encircling the pipe and adapted to exert pressure upon the end of a th-read core also encirclingl the pipe, and

means for constantly urging said second member toward the thread core, said means .secured to the free end of a perforated dye liquor circulation pipe, a second member having a portion encircling the pipe and adapted to exert pressure upon the end of a thread core also encircling the pipe, and'means for.

constantly urging said second member towardA the thread core, said means comprising a plunger having threaded engagement with said second -member and slidably extending through an aperture in the firstmember, the plunger and first member having cooperatingelements which prevent relative movement thereof, and a spring operatively engaging said plunger and first member.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, a member adapted to be rigidly secured to the free end of a perforated dye liquor circulation pipe, a 'second member having a portion encircling the pipe and adapted to exert pressure. upon the end of a thread core also encircling the pipe, and

means for constantly urging said second member toward the thread core, said means comprising a plunger havingthreaded engagement with said second member and sl1dably extending through an aperture in the lirs't member, the plunger 'and first member having cooperating elements limiting the mbvement of the plunger into the ipe, and a spring having one end engaging t e plungler and its other .end operatively engaging said first member.

-In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my' signature.

CHARLES K. DUNLAP.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1` in which the said'secondmember is formed-as a hollow imperforatecap which constitutes a closure for the end of the adjacent thread core.

4. In a device ofthe class described in comi 65 bination, a member adapted to be'rigidly se- 

